HealthPhone™

Hand Washing - Sakhi Dadi - Hindi MP

HealthPhone: Turning handwashing with soap before eating and after using the toilet into an ingrained habit could save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention, cutting deaths from diarrhea by almost half and deaths from acute respiratory infections by one-quarter."

Young children are more vulnerable than any other age group to the ill effects of unsafe water, poor sanitation and lack of hygiene. These contribute to 88 per cent of deaths from diarrhoeal diseases. Children under 5 years old account for nearly 90 per cent of deaths from diarrhoea.

The simple habit of handwashing with soap is estimated to reduce the incidence of diarrhoea by nearly half. It also greatly reduces the risk of respiratory infections such as pneumonia and other diseases, including eye infections, especially trachoma.

Parents and caregivers should wash their hands with soap and water at these critical moments:

(1) after cleaning the infant or young child who has defecated,
(2) after helping the child use the toilet or latrine,
(3) after going to the latrine or toilet themselves,
(4) before touching food and feeding young children, and
(5) after dealing with refuse.

Parents and caregivers need to help children develop the habit of washing their hands with soap before eating and after using the latrine or toilet. Where soap is not available hands can be washed with ash and water. Animal and human faeces should be kept away from houses, paths, water sources and children's play areas.

The Handwashing Handbook provides guidance on designing and implementing handwashing behavior change programs. Hard copies are available upon request.